Quarterback Search: Denver Broncos

Most Denver Broncos fans probably won’t want to acknowledge this, but John Elway and his staff are probably going to bring in a quarterback, not just to backup Tim Tebow, but to seriously push him for the starting job.

Regardless of what you think of Tebow, he deserves to be recognized for his clutch performances. At times it seemed like he truly did will the Broncos to victory. In terms of team success, he exceeded all expectations.

But the fact remains that the Broncos scored two or fewer touchdowns in five of their seven victories with Tebow as the starter. And when you win games like that, it is never the quarterback’s doing.

The real MVP in Denver was the defense, which allowed 13 points or fewer in five of Tebow’s 11 starts – four of which resulted in wins that were unfairly credited to the Tebow by the media.

It’s tough to evaluate Tebow given his unorthodox style of play, but by using ESPN’s Total QBR we can reasonably compare him to more traditional pocket passers. Total QBR grades a quarterback’s performance in a given situation, and rewards players who make positive plays in clutch moments – regardless of whether the play is a run or pass.

One might expect this formula to favor Tebow more than the traditional statistics. However, of 34 qualifying quarterbacks, Tebow ranked 32nd – ahead of only Curtis Painter and Blaine Gabbert.

Tebow’s Total QBR of 27.2 is something awful (50 is considered average), but what makes it worse is his inconsistency.

Using each quarterback’s single-game QBRs, compared to their season-ending QBR we can determine who was most consistent – and Tebow ranks among the worst. On average, Tebow’s performance was anywhere for 23.8 points above or below his Total QBR.

One could argue that this shows his ability to perform at a high level, but 23.8 points above his average still only gets him to a Total QBR of 51 – roughly the league average.

A further examination of Tebow’s QBR also shows us that, contrary to popular belief, the Broncos did not live and die by his performance. Read more

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in 2012 NFL Draft, Broncos Comments Off

2010 Draft Grades: Broncos

Well, I can say this much about Josh McDaniels: he’s not afraid to take some risks.

And he didn’t waste any time shaking things up in this year’s draft. The selection of Demaryius Thomas is a questionable one, but it shouldn’t come as any surprise. While Dez Bryant was clearly the most talented receiver in this year’s draft, I don’t blame McDaniels for staying away. He just dumped one diva receiver and the last thing he wants is to replace him with another. Thomas doesn’t come with the same baggage, but he also won’t have as much of an immediate impact.

Receivers typically take two full seasons to develop before blossoming in their third year. However, it could take Thomas longer considering he played in an option offense in college. The number of routes he ran at Georgia Tech wasn’t anything compared to what he’ll be asked to do in Denver. Only time will tell how quickly he can pick up the new playbook and techniques at the NFL level.

If Thomas of Bryant wasn’t enough of a shocker, McDaniels trumped it by taking Tim Tebow over Jimmy Clausen. I, and plenty of others, have said it a thousand times this offseason: Tim Tebow does not have the talents of a 1st-round quarterback. If his name weren’t Tebow and he didn’t have a cult following no one would even consider him in the 1st round. He has so much to learn about the NFL game and simply doesn’t have the raw talent to make a smooth transition. Just look how long its taken Alex Smith to adjust to the NFL after playing in Urban Meyer’s offense. And Smith is significantly more talented than Tebow. This move will either make or break McDaniels’ career as a head coach in the NFL.

They also reached for Zane Beadles in the 2nd round. I like Beadles because he can play all five positions on the offensive line, but I’m not sure he’s capable of being a starter at any of them. He’ll likely wind up playing guard or right tackle in Denver.

J.D. Walton was a great 3rd-round pick. He’ll certainly be given the chance to win the starting job at center, and may even enter camp as the favorite.

I love the selection of Eric Decker. There’s no denying that Demaryius Thomas has more talent, but Decker is more NFL ready. He remind me of Anquan Boldin. He’s not the faster player on the field, but he runs crisp routes and has reliable hands. He’ll be a steal for the Broncos.

Perrish Cox was also a steal in the 5th round. They needed to add some depth to their secondary and were lucky that a player like Cox fell that far. He’ll be the 3rd or 4th option at cornerback as a rookie, but could work his way into a starting role down the road.

Eric Olsen was a confusing pick. They had already spent two early picks on players projected to be interior offensive linemen. Depth was an issue, but adding three new players is excessive. One of the three – likely Olsen – will struggle to break camp on the roster.

I like the selection of Syd’Quan Thompson in the 7th round. His stock fell when he ran slower than expected this offseason. He’s undersized and isn’t the fastest player on the field, but he plays physical for his size and should be able to contribute on special teams.

Jammie Kirlew will likely move to outside linebacker where he’ll struggle to make the roster. He has some upside, but the Broncos just have too many outside linebackers. He’ll have to make a strong impression in training camp to make the squad, much less earn any playing time.

No matter what happens to Tebow, this was poor draft for the Broncos. They hitched their wagon to a developmental quarterback prospect and did so with a 1st-round pick. No matter what happens, that’s a poor decision. He won’t make a significant impact in the NFL until, at the earliest, three years down the road. You simply can’t invest a 1st-round pick in that type of player. They landed a few other decent prospects, but simply took too many risks.

Posted on May 1, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in Broncos, Draft Grades - 2010 Comments Off

10 Bold Predictions for the NFL Draft

10. The Raiders will be criticized for their 1st-round pick
Ok, so maybe this isn’t quite a bold prediction. No one has any idea who the Raiders are going to draft, but I can all but guarantee it will be a reach.

9. C.J. Spiller will be a top-10 pick
And he can thank Chris Johnson for paving the way. The NFL is a copycat league and now everyone wants to the next Johnson. Spiller is an option for the Browns, Raiders and Jaguars. Someone such as the 49ers may also try to trade up for him.

8. Two TCU players will be drafted in the 1st round
Jerry Hughes is all but locked into the 1st round, but his teammate Daryl Washington could join him. He’s a perfect fit for the Colts and Saints and could sneak into the late 1st round. It would be the first time since 1939 that two Horned Frogs went in the 1st round.

7. Bruce Campbell will fall to the 2nd round
Al Davis will consider him with the 8th pick, but he’ll pass. And so will everyone else. Someone will eventually scoop up the most overrated draft prospect to come along in years in the early-to-mid 2nd round.

6. Pete Carroll will reach for someone from USC
Taylor Mays? Everson Griffen? Both could be options for the Seahawks in the 1st round. He may even be tempted to reach for someone like Jeff Byers later on. College coaches are always blinded by familiarity when they move to the NFL game.

5. The Cowboys will draft a WR in the 1st or 2nd round
Motivated by the Redskins acquisition of Donovan McNabb, Jerry Jones will feel the need to bolster his offense. The NFC East could feature a number of shootouts in 2010 and Jones wants to stay ahead of the curve.

4. A Pro Bowler will be traded
Ronnie Brown? McKinnie? Umenyiora? Roethlisberger?

3. The Steelers will draft a quarterback
Not necessary in the first two rounds, but they’ll grab a signal caller at some point. Maybe Dan LeFevour in the 3rd round? Tony Pike in the 4th? John Skelton in the 5th?

2. There will be at least 5 trades in the 1st round
This could be one of the busiest 1st rounds in recent memory. With so much talent in this year’s class, teams will be motivated to move in two directions. On one hand, some great players will fall and teams will want to move up to grab them. On the other hand, as those great players fall, more good players will be available in the late 1st and early 2nd round.

1. At least 3 quarterbacks will be selected in the 1st round
We know Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen will be 1st round picks. But don’t be shocked when a third comes off the board in the late 1st. The Vikings could take Tim Tebow. The Bills or Browns may also trade up for Colt McCoy.

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft, 49ers, Bills, Browns, Colts, Cowboys, Jaguars, Raiders, Saints, Steelers, Vikings 95 Comments

The answers to all your Tebow questions

Unlikely most of the mainstream media, I’ve ignored Tim Tebow this offseason. Its not because I have anything against Tebow, I’m just not interested in treating him like an elite prospect. Just by writing this blog entry I’m giving him more attention that I’ve given to similar prospects such as Jonathan Crompton and Jevan Snead. But despite the fact that I normally wouldn’t spend this much time analyzing a 3rd-round quarterback prospect, I’ve been asked enough questions about Tebow via email and Twitter that I now feel the need to address his draft status.

So lets touch on the most popular questions:

Who will call Tebow's name on draft day?

Who will draft Tebow?
To our knowledge, Tebow has visited or is scheduled to visit with the Bills, Seahawks, Browns, Patriots and Redskins. Draft visits typically don’t offer too much insight into what direction teams are leaning, but 1st and 2nd round quarterback prospects are the exception. At the very least, these are players that you’re hoping will become the face of your franchise. Coaches work one-on-one with the quarterback more than any other position, so a pre-draft sit-down is viewed as a necessity. This doesn’t mean someone else won’t draft him, but if Tebow is selected within the first two rounds, I would be very surprised if it wasn’t by one of those five teams (or someone else who visits with him in the next few weeks).

Will Tebow be a 1st-round pick?
Maybe. You can never underestimate the egos of NFL coaches and general managers. Drafting Tebow would shine a bright spotlight on their organization and if a coach is able to turn Tebow into a quality starting quarterback, the praise would be heaped upon him. Without a doubt, there are coaches and GMs out there who think they have the answers to all of Tebow’s mechanical issues. Maybe they do. Maybe they don’t. The fact that we’re asking the question though, means he shouldn’t be a 1st-round pick. That said, someone might take a chance.

The Patriots are a strong possibility. Tom Brady will be 33 in August and Bill Belichick is a close friend of Urban Meyer and admittedly a Tebow-admirer. The Bills could be another option, but they would need to trade back into the 1st round to make it happen.

Why do you hate Tebow?
I don’t hate Tim Tebow. I don’t wish failure upon him. I don’t think he’s destined to be a bust. I simply gave him a 3rd-round grade because his mechanics are a question mark, his accuracy is shaky on deep passes and he’ll need to learn an NFL playbook which looks nothing like what he’s used to at Florida. 1st-round quarterbacks should be considered nearly can’t-miss prospects, guys you expect to be starting by the start of their second year at the latest. 2nd-round quarterbacks come with similar expectations within the organization, but without the outside pressure to succeed due to the lesser contract value. 3rd-round quarterbacks are viewed as likely future starters, but are usually very raw and are expected to need two or three years of seasoning on the bench. Tebow fits into the third category. He could very well end up starting, but he needs a lot of work.

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft, Bills, Browns, Patriots, Redskins, Seahawks 1 Comment

Tim Tebow

Patriots searching for the next Tom Brady

Given Tom Brady’s age (33 in August) and recent knee injury, one would think it’d be a good idea to bring in a veteran backup. Yet Bill Belichick insists on filling the need for a backup signal caller through the draft. Since 2007, the Patriots backups have been almost exclusively home grown – Matt Cassel, Matt Guttierrez, Kevin O’Connell and Brian Hoyer.

Despite still having Hoyer on the roster, who spent the 2009 as Brady’s backup, Belichick appears to be planning on drafting yet another quarterback in the mid-rounds of the draft. Thus far, the Patriots have visited or have scheduled visits with Tony Pike, Zac Robinson and Tim Tebow.

Allstate Sugar Bowl - Florida v Cincinnati

Could Pike be groomed as Tom Brady's replacement?

Pike and Tebow are likely to be off the board by the 4th round at the latest, indicating that the Patriots are willing to spend a fairly high pick on a quarterback this year. Robinson figures to still be available in the 6th or 7th round.

So why the obsession with quarterbacks?

The most likely is that Belichick views himself as a quarterback genius. After all, he has groomed a 6th and 7th round pick into starting quarterbacks during his time in New England. Knowing that Brady will the 33 before the start of the 2010 season has to make Belichick somewhat worried about his future with the team and he knows that now is the time to groom his replacement.

His interest in quarterbacks in this year’s class likely indicates that he doesn’t view Hoyer as the solution. However, in 2008 the Patriots selected Kevin O’Connell in the 3rd round, presumably to take over the backup job from Matt Cassel. We all know how that turned out.

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft, Patriots Comments Off

All-Overrated Draft Prospects Team

QB – Tim Tebow, Florida
Someone’s going to take him in the 1st or 2nd round, and they’re going to have to wait at least 2 years before he’s ready to start at quarterback (if he’s ever ready).

RB – C.J. Spiller, Clemson
He’s not the next Chris Johnson. The next Leon Washington is more likely. He’s simply not an every-down running back.

RB – Jahvid Best, California
Same criticism of Spiller applies here. He’s a change-of-pace back, a better version of Ahmad Bradshaw.

WR – Damian Williams, USC
He’s too skinny to be an elite receiver. He’ll get pushed around by more physical defensive backs, and he lacks the speed to break away.

WR – Mike Williams, Syracuse
I wouldn’t touch him with a 10-foot pole. Off-field issues make him undraftable in my book. Not even worth a 7th round pick.

TE – Anthony McCoy, USC
He’s a serviceable tight end due to his blocking ability, but he won’t contribute as a receiver. The next Christian Fauria.

OT – Bruce Campbell, Maryland
How anyone can watch him on film and give him a grade higher than the 3rd round baffles me. Athleticism only takes you so far.

OT – Trent Williams, Oklahoma
Definitely has upside, but his lack of production in his only year at left tackle is very concerning.

OG – Vladimir Ducasse, Massachusetts
Size and athleticism are making scouts drool, but he is very raw. He could be the next Larry Allen, he could be the next Qasim Mitchell.

OG – Sergio Render, Virginia Tech
I’m reaching here because no one else jumps out. Render impressed early in his career, but never showed improvement.

C – Eric Olsen, Notre Dame
Was never overly impressive at Notre Dame, and he struggled in one-on-one drills at the Senior Bowl.

DE – Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida
Claims about his elite athleticism are overstated. Derrick Morgan is of similar size and build and performed equally, if not better, in every drill at the combine.

DE – George Selvie, South Florida
After a standout sophomore year, Selvie was non-factor for two full seasons. Yet he still generates interest from those that remember his 2007 campaign.

DT – Terrence Cody, Alabama
Weight is still a serious concern. He’ll never be able to stay on the field consistently.

DT – Arthur Jones, Syracuse
High expectations for his senior year never panned out. Injury concerns and lack of production limit his upsite.

OLB – Ricky Sapp, Clemson
Only one year of experience at linebacker after transitioning from end. Lack of elite production and ACL tear in 2008 raise red flags.

OLB – Navorro Bowman, Penn State
Doesn’t have the elite on-field production to make up for his serious character concerns.

ILB – Brandon Spikes, Florida
Spikes’ recent 40 times raise serious red flags. He may simply lack the speed to play in the NFL.

CB – Joe Haden, Florida
He’s a legitimate 1st-round prospect, but doesn’t deserve a top-10 grade. The gap between him and the next-best corners has raised his stock above where it realistically should be.

CB – Patrick Robinson, Florida State
Robinson has elite speed, but he’s one of the least physical corners I’ve seen in recent years. Off-field concerns further hurt his stock.

S – Taylor Mays, USC
Mays is so universally viewed as overrated that I considered leaving him off the list. But his production just hasn’t matched his physical ability.

S – T.J. Ward, Oregon
The potential is there, but he can’t stay healthy. Multiple ankle and knee injuries raise serious doubts about his ability to stay on the field.

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft Comments Off

Clausen sweepstakes narrowed to 5 teams

Does anyone want this guy?

This offseason has been filled with nothing but bad news for Jimmy Clausen.

Its tough to say his stock is actually falling, because he hasn’t done anything wrong. But the teams potentially interested in him are falling off fast. First the Seahawks traded for Charlie Whitehurst, then the Browns said they flat-out weren’t interested.

I have yet to hear about a single team who has requested a private workout with Clausen. And to the best of our knowledge, he only met privately with two teams at the combine, the Bills and Redskins.

Its not uncommon for players not to meet with teams prior to their pro day. Teams often want to see a player workout once before using up one of their 30 pre-draft visits. However, quarterbacks are a different beast. The Rams have already met with Bradford and have set up a date for him to visit in April, despite the fact that he won’t workout until March 29. Since Clausen won’t workout until April 9, it seems odd that no one (to our knowledge) has scheduled him for a private workout yet. Presumably there are multiple teams that will have an interest in him in the 1st round, regardless of how he looks on April 9. Or maybe we’re just way off base in our assumption that he’s viewed as a premier prospect. [update: Clausen has visit scheduled with Bills; date is unknown]

Whatever the case may be, there now appears to be only five teams in the Clausen sweepstakes:

4. Redskins
The ‘Skins placed a 1st-round tender on restricted free agent Jason Campbell, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still interested in Clausen. They spoke to Clausen at the combine, indicating some interest. However, is sounds as though Mike Shanahan in genuine in his plans to bring Campbell back and giving him a legitimate shot to turn things around. If that’s the case it would make more sense to select a left tackle with the 4th pick to give Campbell the best opportunity to succeed.

9. Bills
The Bills also showed an initial interest in Clausen. And unlike the Redskins, they don’t have a viable option on their roster if they don’t land a quarterback in the draft. They could survive the next season with Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick or Brian Brohm, but they’d much rather find their quarterback of the future in this draft. The Bills are probably the most likely landing spot, however, they have also showed a strong interest in Tim Tebow. Its possible that the Bills would either trade this pick to move back in the 1st round, or trade their next year’s 1st-round back pick to move back into the 1st round in an effort to land Tebow there.

13/17. 49ers
If the 49ers want Clausen, they can have him. Their two 1st-round picks would be enough to move into the top 10 to select him if he’s their guy. However, they’ve given no indication that they’re interested in making such a move. That said, if he falls down the board and he’s sitting there are No. 13 or 17, he may be too good to pass up. They want to give Alex Smith another shot, but they aren’t expecting him to turn into a future star at this point. Clausen’s upside is far greater than Smith’s at this point in their careers.

14. Seahawks
The trade for Whitehurst likely takes the Seahawks out of the running for Clausen with the 6th pick. However, they may reconsider their stance if he’s still on the board with the 14th selection. The dropoff in money from No. 6 to No. 14 is significant, which may make them more comfortable with the selection. It’s probably a long shot, but it can’t be ruled out.

30. Vikings
If Clausen gets past the Seahawks and 49ers the most likely scenario is that someone who already passed on him (Bills? Redskins?) trades back into the 1st round to select him. It would be a similar scenario to what the Browns did to acquire Brady Quinn in 2007. But assuming everyone stays put, his next most likely landing spot would be Minnesota. It certainly sounds like Brett Favre will be back in 2010, but he obviously can’t be counted on beyond this season. If Clausen is on the board at No. 30 it would be very difficult to pass him up. He could sit and learn behind one of the all-time greats for a season while learning the offense before taking over in 2011.

Posted on March 23, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft, 49ers, Bills, Redskins, Seahawks, Vikings 1 Comment

Winners from the Scouting Combine

Golden Tate runs the 40-yard dash

Golden Tate – WR – Notre Dame
Tate’s place in the draft was pretty much set in the late 1st/early 2nd round prior to the combine. No one (including Tate, himself) was expecting anything special in the 40-yard dash. But Tate wowed scouts with an official time of 4.42, – 4th best among receivers. Some scouts even timed him under the 4.4 mark. Tate’s game isn’t really about straight-line speed, but the impressive time should solidify his place somewhere in the top 40 picks.

Dorin Dickerson – TE – Pittsburgh
There was no question as to who was the most athletic tight end working out this weekend as Dickerson posted the fastest 40 time, the highest vertical leap and the longest broad jump at his position. And he further helped his stock by putting up the bench press 24 times – 4th most among tight ends. While he’s clearly an elite athlete, the fact that he only weight in at 6’1″, 226 pounds may necessitate a most to fullback. Regardless, he should come off the board in the top 100 picks.

Bruce Campbell – OT – Maryland
As expected, Campbell proved to be the most impressive physical specimen of the offensive linemen. One scout even went so far as to say he has the most impressive body he had ever seen. The downside to Campbell’s performance is that he’s now been slapped with the “workout warrior” label, which carries more negative connotations than positive ones. His collegiate production doesn’t warrant 1st-round consideration, but his workouts will likely land him a spot among the top 32 picks.

Trent Williams – OT – Oklahoma
While Campbell was the most impressive physical specimen among the offensive linemen, Williams may have been the most pleasantly surprising prospect. He was just .03 seconds behind Campbell in the 40, and actually out-performed Campbell in the vertical leap and the 20-yard shuttle. Entering the combine some had speculated that he may not have the athleticism to play left tackle. His performance should ease those concerns.

Jason Pierre-Paul – DE – South Florida
Due to his one year of experience at the D-I level, Pierre-Paul’s combine performance carried a little more weight than it does for most prospects. Since there’s little tape out there on JPP, scouts were looking forward to seeing how he stacked up amongst the more experienced linemen. He lived up to the hype, and appeared to have the most impressive blend of size and speed out of the defensive ends.

Tony Washington – OT – Abilene Christian
Washington was measured at 6’6″ with an arm length of 35.5 inches. Arm length is an underrated physical attribute that plays a key role in a lineman’s ability to keep defenders from getting into his chest, and Washington was among a handful that measure in at longer than 35 inches. Physically, he looks the part of an NFL left tackle. He further helped his stock with solid performances on the bench press and in the three-come drill. He comes with some character concerns, but physically he appears to have what it takes to succeed at the next level.

Tim Tebow – QB – Florida
I discussed Tebow’s performance at length yesterday, but its worth mentioning again. Most scouts expected Tebow to perform well and he lived up to expectations. If he plays quarterback, his workout numbers won’t matter much. But his performance definitely showed that he has the athleticism to play another position should he chose to go that route sometime in the future.

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft Comments Off

Did Tim Tebow help himself at the combine?

I’ve tried not to talk too much about Tim Tebow this offseason. He probably won’t be drafted higher than the mid-2nd round and no prospect in that range deserves the attention that Tebow receives from the major media outlets. But I do feel the need to address his performance at the combine on Sunday.

Tebow elected not to throw in Indy, but I believe he still managed to improve his stock.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Tebow is whether or not he could be used as wild-cat quarterback. His supporters point to his impressive athleticism. His detractors point to his mediocre speed.

While Tebow’s 4.72 40-yard dash wasn’t anything special, he showed off his athleticism in a number of other drills. I was most impressed by his 3-cone drill, which is actually a much better gauge of a player’s in-game speed and agility than the 40-yard dash. Tebow’s 6.66 time in the cones was tops among quarterbacks by .3 seconds, and was the best time among quarterbacks dating back to 2000. For comparison sake, Jahvid Best, who led all running backs in the 3-cone drill, was timed a 6.75.

Tebow also impressed with a 38.5 vertical leap. While its not a drill that directly relates to his in-game performance, it does demonstrate his explosiveness. An impressive vertical usually translates to above average quickness, as Tebow demonstrated in his other drills.

While I’m still skeptical about Tebow’s future as a quarterback. I have to admit he just may find a role in the wild cat sooner rather than later. He has the size of a fullback, but his quickness and explosiveness is far more impressive than any of the NFL’s current short-yardage backs.

While Tebow still has hopes of playing quarterback, as well he should, after seeing him work out I definitely feel as though he has a future in the NFL at another position should he ever chose to go that route. Given his versatility, athleticism and intangibles, he should be a lock to come off the board in the top 100 picks regardless of how his new throwing motion looks at his pro day.

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft 1 Comment

Jack Del Rio Questions David Garrard

jaguars Another day, another questionable comment from the Jaguars organization.

Yesterday on the Jim Rome show (brought to our attention by the folks as ProFootballTalk), Rome asked Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio if David Garrard is a “Super Bowl-caliber quarterback.” Del Rio responded:

Well that’s a, uh, good question. I think I would say a quarterback like can be that with a great supporting cast. You know, I don’t know. When you look at teams that have won multiple championships, I think they’ve had elite quarterbacks.

That’s not exactly the ringing endorsement you want to hear from your coach when there are already rumors flying around that your franchise may want to bring in a new quarterback in the draft.

Not that contracts mean anything in this league, but Garrard is signed through 2014. How exactly does one go from signing your quarterback to a six-year, $60M contract in 2008, to potentially moving in a different direction in 2010?

Obviously Tim Tebow would be the popular choice to replace Garrard. Well, among those not named Uche, that is. But realistically, what are the Jaguars options?

The one option that may fall into their lap is Jimmy Clausen. While he’s widely considered to have top-10 talent, concerns about his maturity level could cause him to fall. If he’s on the board when the Jaguars are on the clock at No. 11, they should give him some serious consideration.

Another option would be wait to the 3rd round (the don’t own a 2nd-round pick) and grab one of the slew of quarterbacks that are graded in that range. Anyone from Colt McCoy to Tony Pike to Dan LeFevour could be an option there. With any of those guys, the ideal scenario would be let them sit for at least a year under Garrard before taking over.

One other name that may fit nicely in Jacksonville is West Virginia Jarrett Brown. He’ll likely still be on the board when they’re on the clock at No. 74, and he fits the mold of the type of quarterback Jacksonville has liked in the past. Like Garrard and Jaguars legend Mark Brunell, Brown is a mobile quarterback that can buy time with his feel and occasionally take off and pick some yards on his own.

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Ryan McCrystal in 2010 NFL Draft, Jaguars 7 Comments

1 2 Next Page »